Loea Partners with Endwave on 70/80 GHz Transceiver Development Program

By: Online staff — Wireless Design & Development Asia
(Business News & Technology News, 14 Nov 2005)

Endwave Corp., a provider of high-frequency RF modules for telecommunications networks, defense electronics, and homeland security systems, has partnered with Loea Corp. to design 71.0-86.0 GHz subsystems for use in Loea's multi-gigabit wireless radios. Specifically, Endwave will develop transmitter and receiver modules that perform the critical frequency conversion functions within Loea's radio.

To counter the high costs of conventional mechanical housings, covers and other packaging in typical millimeter-wave modules, Endwave will incorporate Epsilon Packaging technology into its designs for Loea. Epsilon Packaging eliminates the traditional dependency on bulky machined or cast mechanical housings by replacing mechanical items with metallized FR-4 and injection molded metallized plastics. The end result is a package with no machined metal parts that is mass-producible with minimal weight and size. Epsilon Packaging is targeted at high-frequency applications where low cost, light weight and small form-factor are essential.

Loea pioneered the use of the newly available spectrum allocated by the FCC and NTIA in the 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz and 92-95 GHz bands. Loea's products provide unique last-mile access performance, including high all-weather availability (99.999% at 1 km), ultra broadband data payload (1.25 Gbps) and a low overall cost of ownership compared to alternative last-mile access technologies. Loea is currently manufacturing 1.25 Gbps duplex ultra broadband wireless radio links and plans to extend the product offering to include radio systems with data rates up to 10 Gbps.

"Our partnership with Endwave will contribute significantly to Loea's product strategy to incorporate innovative solutions that reduce equipment size and costs," said Loea President and CEO Dr. Daniel Scharre. "The combination of lower cost and higher performance will enable market development for wireless access and backhaul applications at speeds previously unattainable."

Endwave Corp.